Pressure-operated circuit-controller.



F. J. FRASIER.

PRESSURE OPERATED CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 19. 1910.

Patente May 3%. 1911.

5 j i'wz Jj mszw Q/W/Mwooa/a l I I I lowing is a specification.

-- in the claims appended hereto.

. cuit with the indicating system.

' ingsystem is to be used,-the-' devices being e or equivalent device a which,'like the-anand State of Minnesota, have invented new vanduseful Improvements in Pressure-Operwhen the material is below the circuit closer.

.out the'several views.-

'closer or controlling devices A will be an UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED J.. ERASIER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, FRED J. FRASER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, the county of Hennepin ated CircuitrControllers, of which the fol This invention relates to a circuit closer, adapted for use in indicating systems in connection with grain or other bins, whereby the exact or approximate contents can bedetermined. The invention has for one of its objects to provide a novel, circuit controlling device resp'onsiveto the pressure of the material in the bin to electrically connect .with a sig nal device when the material is at the same height-or greater'height than the circuit closer, and to. be electrically disconnected With these ob'ects in view, and others as will appear as t e description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel fea-.. tures of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity In he accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention; Figure l is-a front view of the circuit controlling device, partly broken away," Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 3is a diagrammatic view showing several circuit ,controlling devices connected injcir- Similar reference characters are employed to designate-corresponding partsthrough- In actual practice, a plurality of circuit ranged in the bin,- with which the indicatarranged one above another so that only that device will be operative that is nearest the level of'the material in the bin. Inthe diagram shown in Fig. 3, four devices A are illustrated, and these-are connected by wires a, a a? and a with an annunciator consisting of lamps 1, 1 1' '1 or equivalent means, the said lamps being in turn connected by'a wire a with one side of a battery {looted by a wire a, with the uppermost device A, and in this wire a, is a push button,

Specificationof Letters Patent.

IRLESSURE-OPERATED CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

" Patented MayQQ, 191i.

Applicatipn filed:Apri119,I910. Seria1No-.55.6,3 17.

nunciator, will be located in-the oflice so that upon pushing-thebuttons a, the contents in the bin can be readily ascertained by that lam which is' lighted. Each device A inclu es a. spring contact 1, which is movable between fixed contacts 2 and 3. The

leading to the annunciator, and the contact 3 of each device is connected by a wire; a. with the spring contact 1 of the next lower device. As long as material in the bin is pressing on the devices A, the spring con.

tacts will engage the fixed contacts 2 so that when the push button a? is pressed, the current willfiow through the wire a, the top device A,-wire a, lamp 1, and wire'a the annunciator thus indicating thatthe bin is I filled. As the material lowers,'the device A will, successively cut out the lamps of the annunciator, and as shown in the diagram, the first twolamps arecut out of circuit as the level of the material in the bin is dis posed between the second and third devices A. As the material settles below a device -A, the spring contact 1- automatically engages theco'ntact' 3 so that the wire a will be included in circuit. As shown in the diagram, the current flows through the wires a between the first and second and second and third devices A and thus these wires form shunts around the' lamps -1 and 1 In other words, when the push button a .contacts 2 are connected with the wires is closed, the current flows through the wire afl'contactsl and 3 of the top device A, wire (1 connected therewith, contacts l and, 3 of the second device, wire a connected therewith, contacts 1 and 2 of the third device A, wire a lamp 1 and wire a When the material settles to a point below the third device A, the lamp 1 will lee lighted when the 'push button' a is pressed, the lamp 1 having been automatically disconnected by the spring contact 1 of the third device A moving out of engagement with fixed contact' 2 and engaging fthe contact 3.1 Of course, any number of devices may be emgloyed acc'ordingto the accuracy of the inications desired.

Havingv described the use of the'devices A, the details of construction of one of the devices will now be explained by reference.

to Figs. 1 and 2.' Referring to the drawing, the opposite side of the battery being conga;

4 designates an annular casing that constitutes' a housing for the art of the circuit through an annular base flange 7 on the easing and screwing into the base 5. The base may be of any approved construction and serves as a box into which the wires enter for connection with the contacts 1, 2 and 3, the base being hollow or chambered and having threaded openings 8 for receiving conduit pipes for the conductors. The base has an annular flange 9 which is provided with apertures 10 for receiving screws or equivalent means, for fastening the device to the bin. The casing t is open at the side opposite from the base 5 and extending across the said open side a'--diaphragm 11 of rubber, canvas, metal, or other suitable material which is secured in place by a clamping ring 12, bearin against the outer face of the diaphragm at the periphery thereof and fastened by screws 13, which are threaded in the ring or casing t. This diaphragm forms a tight joint so that dust or water cannot enter the device and as the material in the bin to which the device is applied'presscs laterally on this diaphragm it yields and moves the spring contact 1.

lVithin the casing st is a disk-shaped follower let that forms a backing for the dia phragm and behind the follower is a shoulder formed by apartition 15 on the casing and by this means the inward movement of the follower is limited. This partition hasta central opening 16 through which extends a central stem 17 on the follower, the stem carrying the tip 18 of insulation which engages the spring contactl. The follower is held outwardly, when the diaphragm is not subjected to pressure, by springs '19 that are fastened to the partition 15 and bear against the inner face of the follower, the said springs passing through openings 20 in the partition. On the partition are threaded rods 21 that carry a support 22 on which the contacts 1, 2, and 3 are secured and. insulated therefrom. The support is in the form of a plate having openings through which the rods 21 extend and by means of nuts 23 and 2 1 on the rods, the support can be adjusted laterally to change the set of the spring I with respect to the insulation tipped follower. The follower 1st has notches or pockets 25 spaced around its periphery and within these pockets are arranged balls 26, which serve to hold the follow-er centrally and at the same time materially reduce the friction between the follower and easing. When thefollower is pressed inwardly, the spring 1 is held against the contact 2 and as soon as the pressure is removed from the follower, the sprin g automatically moves into engagement with the contact 3. It will thus be seen that an effective circuit controlling device is providcd. in which the parts are completely housed ,and. protected from dirt, moisture, or injury.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the I construction and of the method of operation will. be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which i 1. A device of the class described, 'com 1 prising achambered base, an annular casing securedto the base and communicating with the chamber thereof, a diaphragm secured to' the'casing, a follower located behind the diaphragm, means for pressing the follower against the diaphragm, a spring contact against the tension of which the follower acts,fiXed contacts with which the spring contact alternately engages, and conductors leading into the said chambered base and connected with the contacts.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a casing having a partition, a diaphragm secured to the casing, a follower behind the diaphragm and provided with a stem passing through the partition, springs secured to the partition and extending through the sameand engaging the follower for holding the same againstthe dlaphragm, a spring contact with which the stem engages, a fixed contact'with which the spring contact is adapted toengage, a support for the contacts, and members secured to the partition and on which the said support is adjustable to vary the positionof the springcontact with respect to the said stem.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED J. FRASIER. Witnesses:

ADA BURCH,

V]. E. HARRINGTON. 

